Redemption
by R.Ryan
Summary: An American soldier physically wounded and mentally scarred in war. A Muslim woman hiding in fear in a society plagued with misconception. A moment of weakness shattered them forcing them to face the realities of their lives...lives that would be incomplete without the other.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Redemption.  
>Chapter One.<p>

The cool metal of the handcuff cut into the flesh slightly.

How did he get to this place?

How did he - a former marine combat sergeant, Purple Heart recipient, honorably discharged - end up locked away like a common criminal?

"She has a pretty big bump on her head and a concussion. There is a bit of bruising on her arm," his father, Carlisle muttered, unable to look at his son in his prison cell. "Her boss is sending her home to get some rest, but she doesn't want to press charges against you."

"It's not her choice. If the DA wants to press charges, he will do just that and then just subpoena her for her testimony," came the whispered interjection from his brother-in-law and attorney, Jasper Hale.

"I just snapped. I just saw her pulling off her shawl and when I put two and two together-" Edward broke off. "All I could see was that woman who walked onto the base, shouting in Arabic, feeling the explosion and then I wake up in a hospital two months later, covered in bandages. To this day, I can't look at my own face."

"But she isn't that woman," Captain Emmett McCarty sighed, looking at his best friend. "I thought you were beyond this. I thought the therapy was working. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this would happen. Every time we spoke, we would hear about Bella this and Bella that. Is your hatred so great that it blinded you to everything that was good about her?"

"Look at what I have become!" Edward roared, ripping off his hoodie, revealing the jagged, raised flesh that even after a year still reflected how ghastly his wounds truly were. "Mom doesn't even look me in the face. Rosalie didn't want me to be your best man so that I wouldn't ruin your wedding pictures. My godson cries whenever he sees me. I am a monster."

"You are not a monster," Carlisle spat out, rounding on his son. "You were a solider, wounded while serving his country. You put your life on the line for everyone. Even her."

"I know that!" Edward threw back. "But, it's a struggle."

"We know that, but there is no justification for what you did," Jasper muttered. "This can very well be seen as a hate crime, Edward."

"How so?" Carlisle asked.

"He called her a terrorist and told her to take her jihad back to Iraq," Emmett answered.

"But, he just snapped," Carlisle stuttered. "He has PTSD."

"And, we know that," Jasper interjected. "But, you have to understand what could possibly happen."

"And, that will be nothing, Jasper," another voice entered into their conversation, causing all of the men to look over to the newcomer in their conversation.

"DA Billy Black," Jasper stuttered, reaching out to shake the older man's hand.

"Mr. Hale," Billy acknowledged before looking over to the man locked in the cell. "You are a very lucky man, Mr. Cullen. I have decided not to press charges against you. You are free to go."

"Thank you." Carlisle could not help the relieved sigh that escaped him.

"Think nothing of it, though I am not the one you should be thanking," Billy shook his head.

"So who should I be thanking then?" Edward muttered.

"My goddaughter. The woman you attacked," Billy whispered, motioning the officer that accompanied him to open the prison cell.

"How is she?" Edward said hoarsely.

"She wanted to come here, to apologize to you, if you can believe it," Billy said, taking a seat next to Edward.

"Why?"

"Because she blames herself. She said that she knew that you had problems and that she should have been more sensitive to that," Billy scoffed.

"That's crazy," Emmett whispered.

"Yes, it is. She loves her version of God, Edward. She prays five times a day. She fasts during the month of Ramadan. She doesn't drink alcohol. She is kind and gives as much charity as she could and now she hides. She hides because of people like you," Billy spat, rounding on Edward. "I understand that you are suffering from PTSD, but to paint every member of a religion as being evil is idiocy at its highest. Condemning every person in a group of people, because of the actions of a few of them, is beneath you."

"How can you say what is beneath me?" Edward asked heatedly, ignoring the dark look of warning Carlisle threw at him.

"Because you have a brain of your own. You lived in Iraq for a year. You saw how those people truly are. Are they monsters? Is she a monster?" Billy muttered before standing, pulling out a picture of Bella and flinging it onto the seat next to Edward.

After that, Billy left the cell. Within minutes Edward was out of the police station, sitting in his father's car. The entire way to his parents' home, Edward was silent, lost in thought. The picture of Bella clenched in his fist.

"Are you alright?" Carlisle asked, switching off the car in the driveway.

"No," Edward shook his head.

"What's wrong?" Carlisle turned to look at his son, his concern evident.

"She's not the monster. I am." With those few words, the tears fell.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Redemption.  
>Chapter Two.<p>

It was four in the morning and already all the members of the Swan household were up and about getting ready to say their morning prayer, but an activity that normally brought joy to the home, was done with heavy hearts and minds.

Isabella had not slept at all. Her screams were never ending as she woke up from nightmares; nightmares of being hurt by a man she would have openly called her friend.

Renee, her mother, had slept as best as she could, cradling her daughter in her arms while her husband, Charlie kept watch with their sons Seth and Jared.

The bruises left on his daughter had sent Charlie into a fury like no other, fueling him to the point where he wanted to go and seek out Edward Cullen and beat the hell out of him, but it would have required him to become the monster the young man thought he and his family were.

"She's almost done in the shower," Renee said, walking over to her husband and hugging him tightly.

"The boys are already in the prayer room," Charlie sighed, sinking into his wife's embrace.

"What do we do, Charlie? She said she won't be returning to work," Renee said softly, looking up at her husband. "She loves that job but she's willing to give it up."

"We'll talk to her later. Maybe we can call Marcus and tell him about it and he could probably give us some kind of help," Charlie suggested before looking over her head to see his daughter walking towards them, her gaze lowered as she put on her head scarf.

"Morning, Mum. Morning, Dad," Isabella said with a small smile at her parents.

"Good morning, my little love," Charlie said, pulling away from his wife to hug his daughter. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Dad. Seth and Jared in the prayer room already?" Bella asked, cuddling into her father's chest like she had been doing since she was a little girl.

"Yeah. Seth asked to lead this morning, so we should get to it," Charlie said, pulling away from his daughter, just enough to take hold of his wife's hand before gently walking them to their prayer room for the morning Fajr.

Seth and Jared were waiting patiently for the rest of their family, both brothers sharing a laugh between them though they had heavy hearts.

"Morning guys!" Bella said happily, walking over to her brothers her customary hug.

"Morning, Bells!" they both chanted in unison, mirroring her cheer voice to a T, causing her to smile brightly.

"We've been over this, Bella," Seth said as he hugged her tightly. "What are you going to do when you get married and move out?"

"Oh….you didn't get the memo? Mum and Dad are throwing you out. They're keeping me," Bella said sassily, stepping into her normal spot as every else took their places.

"Is that so?" Jared playfully lunged at his sister but Renee quickly stepped in.

"None of that now. It's time to pray." And just like that, peace fell in the Swan household.

After Fajr, all the members of the Swan house, found themselves seated outside on the patio having breakfast.

"So how's work, guys?" Renee asked her sons as she placed a plate of biscuits onto the table.

"It's good. We are keeping ourselves busy. We have a few buildings were doing now and yesterday, we signed a contract to do a new development in Seattle," Seth answered since Jared was busy shoveling food into his mouth.

"That's great, guys," Charlie said after taking a sip of his coffee before turning his gaze on his daughter, whose gaze was fixed on something in the distance.

"Bella?" Charlie asked, following his daughter's line of sight and what he saw, sent him into a fury like on other.

"You bastard!" Charlie roared, jumping to his feet, his sons joining him. "You have some nerve showing up here."

"Charlie, wait," Renee pleaded, placing her hand on his husband's shoulder.

"What do you want, Cullen?" Jared spat, as Seth stood in front of their sister.

"I came to apologize to her. I'm sorry. I should have never put my hands on her. Never," Edward said, tugging at his hair, his tired eyes looking wild. "I just…..I just saw her pulling of the head scarf and it was like a switch flipped. I thought I was back there…..in the war. I heard the women crying. I saw the children running away from us. I could see all the fresh graves. All the innocent people killed in the war. I can hear the explosions, the gunfight. I could smell the sulphur and I can see that woman, walking into our base, bleeding. I can remember the solider running to help her and then I'm on the floor. My best mate….two feet from me…..dead.

"I'm sorry, Isabella," Edward whispered before falling to his knees. "I'm so sorry. I need help. I need help."

Slowly, Bella stepped around her brother and walked down to where Edward had fallen to his knees. Ignoring the fact the grass was wet and she was barefoot. Ignoring the fact that it was drizzling, Bella sat down opposite Edward, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him.

"I'm so sorry for all that you have gone through, but let me show you that I am different…that true Muslims and believers of Islam are not that way. Please?" Bella asked gently.

For a long while, Edward just stared at Bella, looking at her brown eyes and the goodness in her soul and all he could do was stand and walk away.


End file.
